Poll: Nearly 75% of Democratic voters oppose US aid to Israel

A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College found that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters oppose U.S. military aid to Israel, up from 45% three years ago, reflecting a continuing decline in support for Israel among American voters.

The poll, released Wednesday, also found that nearly half of Democratic voters said their party was too supportive of Israel, while 95% opposed a U.S.-Israel war against Iran.

The survey is the latest to highlight a shifting political landscape on the Israeli-Palestinian issue in the United States, driven by anger over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and its broader operations across the Middle East.

While Israel has long relied on strong U.S. military, economic and diplomatic backing, its popularity has dropped sharply across many segments of U.S. society, particularly among Democrats and progressives, in recent years.

The poll found that 60% of Democratic voters expressed more sympathy for Palestinians than for Israel, while only 15% said they were more sympathetic to Israel.

Support for Israel among U.S. voters is now largely concentrated among older demographics.

A Pew Research Center poll released in April found that 84% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans aged 18-49 held unfavorable views of Israel, compared with 76% and 24%, respectively, among those 50 and older.

But the shift in public opinion has not translated into policy changes at the top levels of the Democratic Party, which remains led by staunch Israel supporters such as House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer.

Republican President Donald Trump has also governed as a close ally of Israel, launching a joint military campaign against Iran in late February that has long been a goal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite criticism from some on the U.S. right who argue that Trump’s support for Israel and Middle East intervention contradicts his America First worldview, the Pew poll found that 73% of Republicans trust Trump to make sound decisions regarding the U.S.-Israel relationship.